Improved fruit-can



B. F. ELLS.

Fruit Can. No. 56,390. Patented July 17, 1866.

Inventor: Witnesses: fig aid/J ,1, 2/ & r m

AM. PHOTO-LITHQCQNX- [OSBORNE'S PROCESS) UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

B. F. ELLs, OF DAYTON, OHIO.

IMPROVED FRUIT-CAN.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, B. F. ELLs, of Dayton, in the county of Montgomeryand State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inthe Mode of Sealing Fruit- Oans and I do hereby declare that thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings and to letters of referencemarked thereon, making a part of this specification.

My invention consists in the construction of a circular metallic lid, A,which has the edges turned down so as to form a cap or casing for themouth of the fruit-can. This lid or cap A is filled with moltensealing-wax O, which, when cold, firmly adheres to the said lid, the waxbeing put on the under side of lid and between the turned-down edges ofthe same.

B is a fruit-can of any ordinary description and material used for thesame.

- The lid A with the sealing-wax O is applied to the can when the wax isperfectly cold. The fruit-can is filled with warm fruit and the lid ispressed upon the mouth of the can, the heat of the fruit beingsufficient to soften the wax, and forming a perfect connection, makingthe inner side of the can entirely air-tight.

It will be seen thatin my invention the wax is placed between the partscemented, thus forming a perfectly hermetical joint, and not over theparts tobe joined, as in the ordinary way, which has never been aninfallible mode, it being an established fact that a very great manybottles and cans are destroyed annually by mold and fermentation.

My invention may be illustrated by taking, for instance, two pieces ofstraight wood, together with glue between the parts, the parts thusforming a strong and durable union, while another put"s-the same partsor pieces together with no glue between, but spreads it over the top ofthe joint.

My mode of sealing cans does not expose the wax on the outside, where itwould be liable to destruction in case of transportation, and which isalso a bar to placing the can on its mouth, when filled and stored away,being an excellent mode of proving the tightness of the sealing.

It is also obvious from my mode of sealing (which seems to be reallyfrom the inside) the steam arising from the hot fruit presses the waxmore tightly and firmly into the joint, while in the ordinary way ofspreading the wax over the joint it has a tendency to force it off orpenetrateit with small holes, by which the air is admitted and the fruitdestroyed.

This mode of sealing fruit-cans saves time in the operation, and can begotten up at very little expense,'while the bottles themselves are plainand the caps can be applied to almost every style of fruit-can commonlyused. The wax first used will last for many years, and it is impossiblefor the air to penetrate the bottle. Almost any child can seal the cans,and a great many be sealed in a very short time. After they are cooledoff they can be put away, turning the sealed end downward, there beingno wax on the outside to adhere to the shelves and tear off when thecans are removed.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The flanged top A, provided with sealingwax, as set forth, and used withthe can B, in the manner and for the purpose described, whereby a can isformed which, when filled with fruit, will seal itself, substantially asspecified.

As evidence that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand inthe presence of two witnesses.

B. F. ELLS.

Witnesses WILLIAM H. HOSIER, J r., WILLIAM HosIER.

